Music: Boldly Back in Business

Backstage at the New York City Opera last week, Head Costumer J. Edgar
Joseph had a problem. Would the off-white silk nightgown take to the
rose dye? If not, Diva Beverly Sills would have to portray the heroine
of Donizetti's Anna Bolena 30 hours later in a hand-me-down from
Massenet's Manon. The dilemma was only one of several dozen facing
Joseph at the time. Suddenly he rose from his chair, walked to a big
dressing mirror and began screaming at himself. "What's the use of
yelling at someone else?" he said. "It's nobody's fault....